Monsanto Company

George E Barker

Denis Forster

Mark L Unland

George F Schaefer

Albert Pak-Hung Li

Dale J Beck

Timothy D Whitehead

Disclosed is a hepatocyte bioreactor or bioartificial liver which comprises a containment vessel having a perfusion inlet and a perfusion outlet; a matrix within the containment vessel so as to entrap hepatocyte aggregates within the containment vessel while allowing perfusion of the matrix. The invention is useful as an artificial liver.

Biological artificial liver

Novel, liquid mixtures of isomeric aldehydes and alcohols are described in the C.sub.11 -C.sub.16 carbon range, the compounds being characterized by a main carbon branched at the position and moderate additional branching in most isomers; the aldehyde mixtures are prepared by an economic route from olefins involving oxo and aldol reaction with the reaction conducted in such a way as to give a high percentage of aldolable product, and preferably with a base catalyzed aldol reaction conducted under conditions to make high conversions attainable. The aldehyde mixtures can be hydrogenated to alcohols and converted to novel ethoxylates or sulfate compositions suitable for use as biodegradable detergents; or hydrogenated and oxidized to novel carboxylic acid compositions also suitable for detergent use.

Detergent range aldehyde and alcohol mixtures and derivatives, and

A preparation of a plasticizer alcohol, consisting of predominantly 2-propylheptanol, from linear butenes is described in which oxo product of the butenes is aldoled to condense n-pentaldehyde therein with very little cross-aldolization followed by hydrogenation to obtain the 2-propylheptanol with very small 2-propyl-4-methyl hexanol content. The alcohol product as phthalate ester has excellent plasticizer properties. Also processes are described for converting other olefins to alcohols by oxo, aldol and hydrogenation reactions, with particular attention to converting hexenes obtained by propylene dimerization to C.sub.14 alcohols suitable for preparation of detergents.

Synthesis of plasticizer and detergent alcohols

An improved alkylation catalyst is provided exemplified by a type X or Y zeolite with cesium, rubidium or potassium cations, and with a boron or phosphorous component added. The catalyst is useful in producing styrene from toluene and methanol.

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St. Louis, MO, United States of America

George E Barker